Strong British presence at Milano-Sanremo, but can anyone replicate Mark Cavendish’s victory?

As the 2025 cycling season finally rolls into Monument territory with Milano-Sanremo this weekend, there’s a quietly impressive British contingent set to take the start line. While none of them are considered outright favourites for victory, several are poised to play key roles for their teams, and perhaps one or two might just spring a surprise.

Bahrain Victorious will once again look to Fred Wright, a rider whose attacking instincts and classics pedigree have steadily built his reputation as one of Britain’s brightest hopes in one-day races. Wright’s ability to read chaotic finales and dig deep in long races makes him a potential outsider if the race comes back together over the Poggio.

EF Education–EasyPost field Max Walker, still in the early stages of his professional career. For Walker, this is less about fighting for the win and more about gaining valuable experience in the brutal, unpredictable theatre of Sanremo.

Groupama – FDJ’s Lewis Askey continues to establish himself as a dependable engine in support of leaders, but he also has a punchy kick and tactical awareness. If the team’s designated sprinters falter, Askey could be given freedom to chase a result of his own.

INEOS Grenadiers, as ever, bring one of the strongest and most experienced British blocks to the race. Geraint Thomas returns to Milano-Sanremo for the final time as part of a squad that also includes Connor Swift, Ben Turner, and Ben Swift. While Thomas is unlikely to feature in the final sprint, his presence is more a symbolic one in the twilight of his career.

Israel–Premier Tech field Jake Stewart, who showed great promise in his early years and continues to grow into a capable one-day specialist. For Stewart, Sanremo is a golden opportunity to test himself against the world’s best in one of the sport’s most nuanced races.

Mark Donovan lines up for Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, likely tasked with supporting roles but capable of holding his own on the climbs. He, of course, will be riding in support of Tom Pidcock who is the strongest British contender of them all, but can he really breakaway from Pogacar or Van der Poel?

Mark Stewart, racing for Team Solution Tech – Vini Fantini, brings plenty of ambition to the first Monument of the season. Team Picnic PostNL will have both Sean Flynn and Bjoern Koerdt on the start line. For Flynn, a rider who has spent the last couple of years quietly developing, Sanremo could be a major learning curve.

Meanwhile, Team Visma | Lease a Bike bring two more British talents. Daniel McLay will be among the team’s sprinting options should a larger group reach the finish, while Ben Tulett could play a deeper role in climbing support or tactical cover across the Cipressa and Poggio.

In total, it’s a healthy spread of British riders, some seasoned pros, others fresh-faced and learning, each contributing to their teams’ ambitions in different ways. While none of them head into the race as top-tier contenders (Pidcock fans may disagree with that), Milano-Sanremo has a history of producing the unexpected.

Only twice has a British rider claimed victory at La Classicissima. Tom Simpson etched his name into cycling history with a win back in 1964. It would take 45 years before the next, none other than Mark Cavendish, who sprinted to victory in 2009 with one of the most iconic finishes of his career. Since then, British riders have threatened but never quite finished the job.

Could 2025 break that streak? It’s a long shot, but in a race like Milano-Sanremo, where the final 10 kilometres often turn the script on its head, nothing is truly off the table.